Library of Congress Adds To Their Gay Rights Collection

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 24: Gay rights activist Vin Testa of DC waves a flag in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building June 24, 2013 in Washington DC. The high court is expected to rule this week on some high profile decisions including California's Proposition 8, the controversial ballot initiative that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)A gay rights activist waves a flag in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building on June 24, 2013 in Washington, D.C. The high court is expected to rule Wednesday on some high profile decisions including California's Proposition 8, the controversial ballot initiative that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. (Photo credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON — The Library of Congress has acquired the papers, photographs, films and memorabilia of gay rights pioneer Lilli Vincenz.

Vincenz, a longtime resident of Arlington, Va., was one of the first lesbian members of the Mattachine Society of Washington, a gay rights organization. She was the first editor of its newsletter, The Homosexual Citizen.

Vincenz joined the first gay rights protest in front of the White House in 1965 with group leader Frank Kameny. Kameny’s papers were donated to the library in 2006.

The library says her collection includes 10,000 items. It includes rare 16-mm films Vincenz made of an early gay rights protest in Philadelphia and the first gay pride parade in New York City in 1970, one year after the Stonewall Riots. Her footage has appeared in other films.